JEFFERSON COUNTY, Alabama -- Jefferson County sheriff's officials are warning the public about a scam that has bilked at least one elderly woman from McCalla out of nearly $2,000.

The 86-year-old victim was sent paperwork from Prize Research Intelligency Agency and Tax Center IRS.com notifying her she had won $2,536,092.23 . According to two separate letters sent to her, her winnings were being processed through the IRS.

She was given a number in Florida to call, at which point she was directed to leave a message. A person with an accent -- sometimes Middle Eastern and sometimes African -- returned the phone calls.

Callers are told how and where to send money to get the winnings, sheriff's investigators said.

The McCalla victim lost $1,700 that was sent by Western Union to New Orleans, and also to Oklahoma, said sheriff's Sgt. Jack Self.

Detectives said once a victim's money is sent to one of the requested locations, it is picked up from that location and forwarded to another county.

Sheriff's officials said the scam, like most, targets the elderly but said all area residents should be on alert and report similar interactions to their local law enforcement agency